


Keep Breathing

by escribo



Category: Suits (TV)
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-06
Updated: 2012-11-06
Packaged: 2017-11-18 03:09:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,350
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/556214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/escribo/pseuds/escribo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Donna offers Mike comfort after Cameron Dennis leverages sexual extortion.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Keep Breathing

**Author's Note:**

> See the end for notes about what I was thinking. Heed the warnings, though there is only discussion after the fact, not actual description of non-con situation.

The day after the night it happened, Mike stayed huddled in his cubicle and strictly avoided Harvey's end of the building, not so much as flinching when Louis dumped a stack of briefs on his desk along with an impossible deadline. It was easier like this: head down, earbuds in, eyes scanning over the documents, devouring information that he could use to pave over his memories of what Cameron had said. What he'd done. What Mike had let him do. At least he had the recording on his phone now and it was reassuring in that he could use it if he had to, to save himself or to save Harvey.

He actually managed to avoid Harvey for the entire week, rushing in and out of his office with files and forms, and Harvey seemed harassed enough to let him come and go without much of a word as long as the work got done. At night, it was harder because then he couldn't find a distraction strong enough to dull the replay of Cameron's voice or the way his hands had felt on Mike's body, at least not one that he was willing to indulge in, not for this. Him. Work was easier, which was why it was the second time in a week that he'd hidden in the file room late into the night rather than bike to Brooklyn, preferring the solitude there than the emptiness of home.

It was there that Donna found him way past the time when he'd thought he'd see anyone except the other associates, and they were easily avoided. He jumped when she called his name, no matter how softly, and he jammed his slightly shaking hands into his pockets. "Did Harvey need me? I thought he'd left already so I came--" 

"I know all, Mike." 

It was her familiar refrain but this time her voice sounded sad. Mike could see in the soft downturn of her lips that she did _know_ , and he drew himself up, unwilling to have her pity and yet not surprised when he couldn't find a trace of it on her. He returned her gaze steadily, not wanting to explain how Cameron had come to him, had wheedled his way inside Mike's apartment, looking distinctly out of place, and presented his case, overwhelming Mike until he'd carried away any alternatives that Harvey would have expected of him. He had not consented. He hadn't said anything once he realized what Cameron wanted of him and why but had simply submitted, gritting his teeth when Cameron didn't bother with any _niceties_. He didn't want to explain this to Donna but he found that he wanted her to understand nonetheless. "I had to protect him," he said simply, relying on her, as he so often did, to know exactly what he meant.

"I know," she said again, not disappointing him. 

"Donna, I can't--"

Donna held him by his shoulders for a moment before she straightened his tie and then touched his cheek with her cool, smooth hand. "You have to trust him."

"I do but he'll--"

"Whatever he'll do, he'll do to Cameron. You did nothing wrong here."

"I could have said no." It was the first time he had said it out loud but not the first time he thought it, not by a long shot. Mike lowered his eyes to his feet but Donna forced him to look back up with a gentle finger to his chin.

"I know how he operates, Mike. He made you feel as though you couldn't." There was something in her tone that made Mike realize quite suddenly that it wasn't through any fifth sense or network of assistants that had brought Donna to him. She hugged him then, and it was such an un-Donna like thing to do that Mike didn't know where to put his hands, not even when it ended and she took a step away.

"I'm sorry," he said because he couldn't think of what else to say.

"You've nothing to apologize for. This is Cameron wanting to be in control, wanting Harvey beneath his thumb. He'll use _anyone_. He'll do _anything_ \--" Donna stopped talking suddenly, her line of sight going past him as she took a deep breathe. 

"He said if I did it, then he could make any suspicion against Harvey go away."

"He lied to you."

"I know." Mike breathed out and looked away, swallowing hard. "I knew that then. I-- I taped him."

"You have it?"

"Yeah, on my phone."

"We'll use it." This time Donna's voice was resolute, her hands firm when she once more needlessly straightened Mike's tie. "I can help you use it to stop him."

At her words he found himself able to look her in the eyes for the first time since she'd come to him not feel ashamed of himself. She was looking back, her mouth a grim line but eyes were bright. She trusted him. Mike studied her carefully, already knowing he would trust her, too but he decided to ask anyway. "Do you think we can?"

"Yeah."

"And Harvey doesn't have to find out?"

"You know how he is. He already knows something's wrong."

"Did he send you to find me?"

"He was worried about you."

"No, he wasn't." Mike huffed out something that was dangerously close to laughter, though he couldn't quite muster that--couldn't quite quell the strange, bright spark of hope that was blossoming through him. He shook his head, not wanting it, and turned back to the box of files. "He was worried about--"

"You, Mike." Donna took a step closer, not touching him but close enough that he couldn't ignore her though he tried. "He's known since Monday morning that something happened but he thought you'd tell him eventually. When you didn't--"

"He sent you."

"No. He's waiting for you at your apartment. He's determined to get the truth out of you, and get your head back in the game--his words, not mine."

"He's what?" Mike jerked his head up, that spark of hope catching in his throat and colliding with a new kind of fear. He shook his head

"I was really hoping you had just had a fight with Rachel or something that I could use to mock you with but then I got a call."

"It _was_ your administrative assistant network then."

"What?"

Mike shook his head, unwilling to say what he'd been thinking but relieved that he was wrong. He lifted the box back onto its shelf and grabbed his jacket, making it nearly to the door before Donna stopped him with a hand on his arm.

"Mike-- He likes to gloat. Cameron. I don't think he has the nerve to go to Harvey directly, not anymore, and maybe he thought-- I don't know. I try not to think what goes on in his seedy little mind but I guess he thought if it didn't work with you that--"

"He called you personally. Donna--"

Donna raised her hand to stop him. "I have my own arsenal that. He's not--" Donna squared her shoulders and pulled out a small business card that she tucked into the inside pocket of Mike's jacket. "Call this number in the morning and make an appointment."

"I don't need a doctor."

"She's good, and even if you don't want to talk to her now, you might someday. Just keep it."

"Okay."

"And I can call Harvey and tell him to go home. I can tell him that--"

"No," Mike said, shaking his head. He mimicked her by straightening his shoulders before he leaned in to kiss her cheek. "I should trust him, right?"

"Right," she whispered.

Mike turned to leave but stopped by the door, scratching his thumbnail into the wood before he found the words he wanted to say. In the end they were simple because he had no way to express what he was feeling. He wasn't _right_ , things weren't _better_ , but he felt more like himself--like the person he's become, and he wanted her to know that. "Thank you, Donna."

**Author's Note:**

> So, I'm doing this whole hurt/comfort bingo thing with a friend and we take turns choosing which block to write, otherwise I wouldn't have touched this one. I'm actually a week past my (self-imposed) deadline because it makes me itch. The prompt is "sexual extortion". In the end, I really like happy endings, and since I don't do angst well, I double checked all my other bingo prompts to make sure I can continue being relatively blithe about the whole thing. /ramble (which I'm totally counting toward nano)


End file.
